Drug addicts who would get cheap funerals brought only modest payments, but tip-offs about well-off patients whose funerals would be highly expensive were handsomely rewarded.

Having been told of a patient's death, the firms would contact the family, saying they had been recommended by the hospital.

Police launched operation Caro Estinto - Dearly Departed - after tip-offs from informers but suspicions had already been raised by the repeated use of the same funeral directors by the Molinette Hospital in Turin.

Firms not in the scam had called police suspecting something was wrong as they had received no business from the hospital in months.

Secret pictures taken by detectives show the moment money changed hands. In one scene the exchange is actually taking place over the body of a dead patient.